“据我所知，可能还有更多。”

“There may be more, for all I know.”

他走进浴室，在洗脸台上找到一把小刀、一个指甲锉和一小团发绿的东西。展开那团东西，原来是两张二十美元钞票。在吸烟桌上的一把雪茄旁边还有三张皱巴巴的钞票。

He went into the bathroom, located a pocketknife, a nail file, and a little greenish wad on the washstand. The wad, when unrolled, proved to be two twenty-dollar bills. There were three more crumpled up beside a handful of cigars on the smoking table.

“我昨晚脱衣服的时候肯定玩得很开心。”

“I must have had a swell time undressing last night.”

杰克决定也加入搜寻。他掀起枕头，发现一小堆皱巴巴的一美元钞票。床边的地上还有两张，马龙的一只鞋里塞着五张。

Jake decided to join in the search. He lifted up the pillow and found a little heap of wrinkled one-dollar bills. There were two more on the floor by the bed and five stuffed into one of Malone’s shoes.

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与此同时，马龙在梳妆台上的门钥匙下面又找到了一张五十美元钞票。

Malone, meantime, had found another fifty tucked under the door key on the dresser.

“似乎就这些了。” 律师最后环顾了一下房间说。“太可惜了。这游戏真好玩。”

“That seems to be the total,” the lawyer said, giving a last glance around the room. “Too bad. This game is fun.”

杰克摇了摇头。“我们最好检查一下你的西装。你昨晚可能漏了什么。” 他拿起外套，摸遍了所有口袋。除了一个侧口袋里有一双非常薄且有花边的长筒袜，是一种异国情调的玫瑰棕色外，什么也没有。

Jake shook his head. “We’d better go through your suit. You may have missed something last night.” He picked up the coat and felt in all its pockets. There was nothing except a pair of very sheer and lacy stockings, of an exotic rose-tan shade, in one side pocket.

马龙检查了一下，注意到它们被穿过，然后说：“不错，很贵的袜子。我想知道是谁穿过它们。”

Malone examined them, noted that they had been worn, and said, “Nice, expensive ones. I wonder who was in them.”

马甲是空的。杰克把它扔在椅子上，四处找裤子，发现它们在角落里的地板上。当他拿起裤子时，它们重得让人惊讶。有一阵奇怪的叮当声。

The vest was empty. Jake dropped it on a chair, looked around for the pants, and found them on the floor in the corner. When he picked them up, they seemed surprisingly heavy. There was a curious, jingling noise.

“听起来我们挖到宝了。” 杰克说。他抓住裤脚把裤子提起来用力摇晃。

“Sounds like we’d struck ore,” Jake said. He picked the pants up by the cuffs and shook them vigorously.

一阵长时间的、响亮的金属撞击声响起，一堆二十五美分的硬币滚落在地板上，比杰克在任何一个地方、任何一次见过的都要多。马龙坐在床边，盯着看。

There was a prolonged, loud, metallic clatter, and a heap of quarters rolled on the floor, more of them than Jake had ever seen in any one place at any one time. Malone sank down on the edge of the bed and stared.

“现在我想起来了。有一个路边小餐馆。在惠灵。那里有一台投币式自动售货机。我中了头奖。” 他皱起眉头。“我到底是怎么去到惠灵的？哦，好吧，这不重要。总数是多少？”

“Now I remember. There was a roadhouse. In Wheeling. There was a slot machine there. I hit the jackpot.” He scowled. “How in blazes did I get out to Wheeling? Oh well, it’s not important. What’s the total?”

杰克快速地数了一下那些钱。“纸币有四百二十八美元。” 他报告说。“我才不会去数那些二十五美分的硬币呢。”

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Jake ran hastily through the collection. “Four hundred and twenty-eight bucks in paper,” he reported. “I’m damned if I’ll count all those two-bit pieces.”

“还不错。” 马龙说。“昨天我去玩扑克的时候，心里只想着赢足够的钱还给马克斯?胡克。我不介意向他借钱，但我非常讨厌欠他任何东西。我本打算赢到三百就收手，但显然我有点太投入了。”

“Not bad,” Malone said. “When I went to play poker yesterday, all I had in mind was winning enough dough to pay back Max Hook. I don’t mind borrowing from him, but I hate like hell to owe him anything. I meant to stop when I had three hundred, but apparently I got a little enthusiastic.”

“听着，马龙 ——” 杰克开口道。

“Listen Malone—” Jake began.

律师拿起电话，又放下，说 “海伦是 ——” 他突然停住，改口说 “海伦在哪儿？”

The lawyer picked up the telephone, set it down again, said “Helene is—” stopped himself, and said instead, “Where is Helene?”

“我要是知道就怪了。” 杰克说。“我也不在乎。她可能和她老爸在哈瓦那呢。”

“Damned if I know,” Jake said. “Damned if I care, either. She’s probably down in Havana with her old man.”

“蜜月才一周就回娘家了。这应该能创个什么纪录吧。” 马龙尖刻地说。

“Gone back to father,” Malone said acidly. “After a week of honeymoon. That ought to establish a record of some kind.”

“她离开了我。” 杰克说。

“She left me,” Jake said.

“为什么？”

“Why?”

“这不关你的事。”

“That’s none of your business.”

“这句话越来越单调了。” 马龙神秘地说。他站起来开始穿衣服。“除了我的钱，还有什么让你回芝加哥的？”

“That line is getting monotonous,” Malone said cryptically. He rose and began pulling on his clothes. “What brought you back to Chicago, besides my money?”

“和莫娜?麦克莱恩的那个赌注。” 杰克说。

“That bet with Mona McClane,” Jake said.